The project focuses on creating a stylish and sustainable eyewear design that seamlessly combines current fashion trends with environmental responsibility, appealing to eco-conscious consumers.

Research and Evidences Supporting Sustainability.

¹ As of 2023, over 4 billion people worldwide wear glasses, including sunglasses, prescription glasses, skiing goggles, and more. With single-use plastic being a common material for glass frames and 'fast fashion' an accepted trend, many glass frames ultimately end up in landfills.

² The paper and pulp industry is the third-largest contributor to industrial pollution of water, air, and soil. Chlorine-based bleaches, commonly used in paper production, release toxic substances into the environment. Additionally, as paper decomposes, it emits methane gas, which is approximately 25 times more harmful and toxic than carbon dioxide.

³ Research indicates that upcycling paper significantly reduces resource consumption compared to recycling. Upcycling uses approximately 1,000 litres of water per ton of paper, compared to 43,500 Lt/Ton for recycling, saving about 98% of water usage. Carbon dioxide emissions from recycling paper amount to around 1,700 kg, while upcycling produces just 75 kg, reducing CO2 emissions by nearly 95%. Additionally, recycling requires 5,500 kWh of electricity per ton, whereas upcycling uses only 250 kWh, saving 90% of energy consumption. These figures highlight the environmental benefits of upcycling paper compared to recycling, based on the production output of one ton.

The materials used for prototyping include old newspapers, liquid hide glue, and gloves.

To begin prototyping, the eyewear silhouette was finalised to determine the dimensions of the paper block that needed to be created.

The newspaper block was created using an interleaving technique, gluing the layers together, followed by folding them using the four-fold method. This approach was chosen for its combination of aesthetics, strength, and efficiency.

The key to crafting the block lies in warming the adhesive before use. This process thins the glue, allowing it to penetrate the paper evenly, and ensures the material is partially dried before compression.

Once the papers are glued, the block must be compressed to allow air pockets between the layers to escape, increasing its density and hardness. After drying the block for a few days, it is prepared for cutting. The block is then cut into the desired frame silhouette, which was finalised earlier. The silhouette sketch is printed, glued onto the block, and used as a stencil for precision cutting.

Once the cutting is complete, the prototype undergoes light sanding for a smooth finish. Polishing, which is typically the final step, was skipped as this prototype was primarily created to test the material and explore the concept.